Roast Pork with Crackling and Apple Sauce
A pork loin roasted with salted, scored skin for crisp crackling, served with sharp homemade apple sauce.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 1 hr 30 min
- Total
- 2 hr 10 min
- Makes
- 6 servings
- Difficulty
- Medium
Good crackling comes down to one thing: dry skin. Leave the joint uncovered in the fridge overnight if you can, then rub it with salt and start it in a hot oven.
Apple sauce is the classic partner. Bramleys cook down into a fluffy, tart purée in about 10 minutes.
Ingredients
Pork
- 1½kgboneless pork loin joint, rind on and scored (ask your butcher)
- 1tbspflaky sea salt
- 1tbspoil
- 2onions, thickly sliced, to sit the joint on
Apple sauce
- 2Bramley apples, about 500 g, peeled, cored and chopped
- 1tbspcaster sugar, or to taste
- 2tbspwater
- a knob of butter
Equipment
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Method
Pork
- 1
If you have time, leave the pork uncovered on a plate in the fridge overnight to dry the skin. Take it out 1 hour before cooking.
- 2
Heat the oven to 220°C / 200°C fan / gas 7. Pat the skin completely dry with kitchen paper. If the scoring is shallow, deepen it with a very sharp knife, cutting into the fat but not the meat. Rub the oil and salt into the cuts.
- 3
Sit the pork on the onions in a roasting tin and roast for 30 minutes, until the skin starts to bubble.
- 4
Lower the oven to 180°C / 160°C fan / gas 4 and roast for about 1 hour more (roughly 25 minutes per 500 g after the first half hour), until the juices run clear and a meat thermometer reads at least 70°C in the thickest part. Do not baste.
- 5
Rest the pork for 20 minutes, uncovered so the crackling stays crisp. Cut off the crackling, then slice the meat thickly.
Photo: Michael · Public domain
Apple sauce
- 1
While the pork roasts, put the apples, sugar and water in a small saucepan. Cover and cook gently for 8–10 minutes, stirring now and then, until the apples collapse. Beat in the butter and add more sugar if you like.
Tips
Crackling still soft? Cut it off while the meat rests and put it back in the oven at 220°C / 200°C fan, or under a hot grill, for 5–10 minutes. Watch it closely.
Use the onions and pan juices for gravy, served in a warm gravy boat. A meat thermometer takes the guesswork out of timing, and roast potatoes complete the plate.
If it goes wrong
| Problem | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Chewy crackling | Skin was damp, or basted | Dry the skin well, use plenty of salt and never baste |
| Dry meat | Overcooked | Check the temperature early and rest the meat before carving |
| Crackling burnt at the edges | Oven runs hot | Check with an oven thermometer and turn the tin halfway |
Frequently asked questions
What temperature should roast pork reach?
The Food Standards Agency advises cooking until the middle reaches 70°C for 2 minutes, with juices running clear and no pink meat.
Why is my crackling not crisp?
Usually damp skin. Dry it uncovered in the fridge overnight, salt it well, start in a hot oven and never baste it.
Can I make the apple sauce ahead?
Yes. It keeps for 3 days covered in the fridge and can be served warm or cold.
Sources
- Cooking your food, Food Standards Agency (GOV.UK), 18 December 2017. Checked 1 October 2026.
Guides for this recipe
Buying guide
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Kitchen design
Range Cookers: Are They Right for Your Kitchen?
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Roasting Tins: Choosing the Right Size and Material
Buying guide
Chef's Knives: How to Choose One
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Buying guide
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